And because the sale was scheduled before Toys R Us’ recent economic woes led it towards setting up a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), the chain assured customers the store won’t be running low on stock.

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The CVA will seek creditors’ approval to close some stores to ensure “future growth and profitability”.

Steve Knights, managing director of Toys R Us UK, has said the company’s focus is now on “newer, smaller, more interactive stores in the right shopping locations”, leading some people in Plymouth’s retail sector to speculate that the company may look for a smaller unit in the city.

Plymouth's Toys R Us is based on Flora Street

Mr Knights said the larger stores are now “too big and expensive” to run and also stressed the firm’s website has generated “significant growth in online and click-and-collect sales”.

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And retail experts also see the future of shopping being all about the digital offer – and providing a personal experience for shoppers will be key if stores want to survive.

Dr Scott Dacko of Warwick Business School (Image: Warwick Business School)

Dr Scott Dacko, associate professor of marketing and strategic management at Warwick Business School, told Herald Business: “There is so much online competition that stores need to differentiate themselves to survive.

“On the one hand they need to be seamlessly integrated with their online offerings.